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New #1 Liberty Nickel Registry Set
Justhavingfun
Posts: 835 ✭
I loved Liberty Nickels even as a kid 65 years ago. I'd get occasional Liberty Nickels in circulation and the simple, classic beauty of Lady Liberty caught my eye even then.
Today, that same beauty of Lady Liberty still captivates me and was one of the key reasons I built this collection. I like the coins.
The reverse is also nice. It's not the dramatic beauty of the obverse, but as I learned, the reverse is key for collectors. The Roosies have "full-band lines" to help identify top strikes. The Standing Liberty quarters have "full-heads" (or "full nipples" for TYPE I's) The Jefferson Nickels have "full steps." And as Mitch Spivack (Mr. Wondercoin on the boards) taught me, the Liberty Nickels have full left corn ears.
It may never have caught on like "full steps" or " or "full-heads," but it's very much a key marker for strike and condition.
Warren Mills, at Rare Coins of New Hampshire, was a huge help in building this collection when I was starting out. He has a great eye for good coins and 8 to 10 years later, when I resubmitted his coins, about half crossed or upgraded. That's amazingly good, but then that's Warren for you.
Still after I got going, Mitch Spivack became my main supplier of great Lib Nicks. And I know it sounds funny, but we'd sit there on the phone discussing the left corn ear, on Lib Nick after Lib Nick. And it paid off, too, with again, as an amazing approx 50% of his coins crossed and/or upgraded. One ANACS coin even crossed and went up a point.
My belief is that if you want to build a great collection, you have to be willing to step up to the plate and swing for the fences. So when I saw a great Lib Nick, I went for it and repeatedly beat out bidders with 10 times as much money or more.
They thought I was nuts to ignore the price guides; I thought they were penny wise and pound foolish. Maybe I was nutz, but darn it, I'm just in for the fun of it, and building the number #1 collection of all time in this beautiful classic series was so much fun it made it all worth while.
Thanks again Mitch and Warren! I don't think Warren's ever on the message boards, but if you want to reach Mitch, he's on the PCGS Board of Experts and on the message boards as Mr. Wondercoin. If you're collecting these coins, do yourself a favor and contact him.
In the meantime, if you want to view my latest treasure, go see "The Land of Smiles" Liberty Nickel business strike. Just posted and the best ever.
Today, that same beauty of Lady Liberty still captivates me and was one of the key reasons I built this collection. I like the coins.
The reverse is also nice. It's not the dramatic beauty of the obverse, but as I learned, the reverse is key for collectors. The Roosies have "full-band lines" to help identify top strikes. The Standing Liberty quarters have "full-heads" (or "full nipples" for TYPE I's) The Jefferson Nickels have "full steps." And as Mitch Spivack (Mr. Wondercoin on the boards) taught me, the Liberty Nickels have full left corn ears.
It may never have caught on like "full steps" or " or "full-heads," but it's very much a key marker for strike and condition.
Warren Mills, at Rare Coins of New Hampshire, was a huge help in building this collection when I was starting out. He has a great eye for good coins and 8 to 10 years later, when I resubmitted his coins, about half crossed or upgraded. That's amazingly good, but then that's Warren for you.
Still after I got going, Mitch Spivack became my main supplier of great Lib Nicks. And I know it sounds funny, but we'd sit there on the phone discussing the left corn ear, on Lib Nick after Lib Nick. And it paid off, too, with again, as an amazing approx 50% of his coins crossed and/or upgraded. One ANACS coin even crossed and went up a point.
My belief is that if you want to build a great collection, you have to be willing to step up to the plate and swing for the fences. So when I saw a great Lib Nick, I went for it and repeatedly beat out bidders with 10 times as much money or more.
They thought I was nuts to ignore the price guides; I thought they were penny wise and pound foolish. Maybe I was nutz, but darn it, I'm just in for the fun of it, and building the number #1 collection of all time in this beautiful classic series was so much fun it made it all worth while.
Thanks again Mitch and Warren! I don't think Warren's ever on the message boards, but if you want to reach Mitch, he's on the PCGS Board of Experts and on the message boards as Mr. Wondercoin. If you're collecting these coins, do yourself a favor and contact him.
In the meantime, if you want to view my latest treasure, go see "The Land of Smiles" Liberty Nickel business strike. Just posted and the best ever.
Jefferson nickels, Standing Libs, and US-Philippines rock
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Comments
I also had a major role in assisting JHF with the Proof Liberty nickels ... a set that should be entered in the registry shortly. Some of the most amazing nickels in that proof Liberty nickel collection (including many of the highest graded DCAM's) came from a private treaty purchase I made with David O'Brien many years ago. I want to give a well deserved shout out to David and thank him for having offering me such beautiful coins those many years ago. Ditto for "Sunnywood" who sold me a number of lovely Mint State Liberty nickels that are in this present collection.
These Liberty nickels will be appearing in the June, 2012 Stacks/Bowers Baltimore sale including a number of the undergrade coins. I have seen some of the scans that Stacks/Bowers has taken already and they are lovely.
My personal favorite nickel in the sets is the 1888 PCGS-MS66. I won the coin at auction for JHF back in November, 2002. You can see the scans up on the Heritage site to this day. I will never forget the expressive passion JHF displayed that evening while he observed me winning that coin for him at auction. I am a guy who loves great color coins and the 1888 MS66 is exactly that in my view ... make sure to check it out if you get a chance to lot view the collection.
Wondercoin
you should share your great fortune with us wannabes.
Wondercoin
Successful BST xactions w/PCcoins, Drunner, Manofcoins, Rampage, docg, Poppee, RobKool, and MichealDixon.
<< <i>I simply do not understand how an individual can spend so much time and treasure to assemble a set, of any quality mind you, and then just simply dispose of it?!? Is there no pride in ownership? I guess the quest is what drives these people? Someone, anyone, please explain this to me....
Each of us collect coins for our own reasons and pleasures. It is not fair to critisize someone, especially someone of the stature of "Just Having Fun" for deciding to sell a particular part of his overall collection. Each of us will someday have to part with our coins. We should enjoy them until we decide for our particular reasons that it is time to sell them or bequeth them. JMHO. Steve
My Complete PROOF Lincoln Cent with Major Varieties(1909-2015)Set Registry
Wondercoin
<< <i>
<< <i>I simply do not understand how an individual can spend so much time and treasure to assemble a set, of any quality mind you, and then just simply dispose of it?!? Is there no pride in ownership? I guess the quest is what drives these people? Someone, anyone, please explain this to me....
Each of us collect coins for our own reasons and pleasures. It is not fair to critisize someone, especially someone of the stature of "Just Having Fun" for deciding to sell a particular part of his overall collection. Each of us will someday have to part with our coins. We should enjoy them until we decide for our particular reasons that it is time to sell them or bequeth them. JMHO. Steve
Steve my post was in no way intended to be critical!!! I simply don't get the mindset of acquiring the best of the best only to "let them go" once you have accomplished a goal. I realize that we are only temporary custodians of everything in life, but for me once I accomplish a goal I like to enjoy the fruits of my labor.
Craig, I realize you have put together some fantastic sets only to retire them and start again. While we collectors all benefit from the liquidation phase, I still don't understand the motivation to turn something loose once you have finally completed the chase. My problem, no one else's. I was simply looking for some insight into these decisions.
In any event, congrats on the accomplishments!
Successful BST xactions w/PCcoins, Drunner, Manofcoins, Rampage, docg, Poppee, RobKool, and MichealDixon.
But the Phillipine King has shown us how it is done.
Wait until the proofs( Libs and Shields) before you give a final thumbs up for a passionate collector, in the class of Duckor, Blay, and only a few others who will go the last mile.
Congrats to Warren and Mitch for assistance and guidance, and not talking Dan out of some the highest bids ever made( at the time).
You have a reasonable question.
About 5 or 6 years ago, I had a serious illness in one eye, and almost went blind. I was in England and their famous eye hospital was a sick joke. So much for socialized medicine. I knew if I stayed there, I would be blind in at least one eye and possibly both. My son took me to Bangkok, where I went to one of their great hospitals that put every US hospital I've ever been to, to shame. The doctor spent an hour looking my eyes over, gave me an unlikely diagnosis, and when I argued the impossibility of the case, she persuaded me it was possible. The one-out-of 100,000 happened to me. The medicines she gave me worked. I now can see well through one eye but have less vision in the affected eye.
It doesn't sound like much but I found myself unable to catch all the subtle nuances in coins that I had before. Some varieties that I had enjoyed, I couldn't even see any more. The difference between a AU58 and a weak strike 63 or even 64 became harder and harder to spot. 66+ versus 67 likewise.
So I pretty much gave up collecting unless Mitch or Warren came at me with something they could rave about. And I probably mentioned somewhere that I still collect off metal jefferson and Liberty Head nickels -- nothing like a 1973 Jeff in brilliant red. I love it, and I don't need quite the eye for that. Ditto for the elephant coins I collect. And I'm starting to collect defunct currencies, where again, I can enjoy myself without having to worrying about MS 65 versus 66.
I really hadn't bought a new nickel for the Liberty Head Nickel collect since then, though I enjoyed it from time to time. Beautiful coins. And the proofs are beauts also and may also be #1 when Mitch lists it.
But now I'm closing in on 72, thoughts of mortality are inevitable, especially when you see your friends and relatives dropping away with scary rapidity. And none of my kids has the least interest in coin collecting. So what am I going to do? Pass that down to them and let the auction houses and collusive bidders skin them -- giving them 25 cents on the dollar? Or sell it myself? Easy choice isn't it?
"I simply do not understand how an individual can spend so much time and treasure to assemble a set, of any quality mind you, and then just simply dispose of it" Now you know.
Best wishes from Bangkok, where
I am just having fun